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“Ready?” Lanson asked, assuming his stance. His feet spread shoulder width apart and his fists loosely protected his face. He had done this before.

I mimicked his position. “Ready,” I answered.

He took a half-step forward, a small, friendly smile still lingering on his features. It would take me two seconds to end this fight with him, but he didn’t know that.

Nobody here knew that, and it had to remain that way.

Lord explained the plan clearly to me before I left. I had to survive, but I could not show too much skill in combat. Too much would draw attention, would raise questions. Questions would lead to Phantom, would lead to Lord.

No, I had to be good enough to survive, but weak enough to blend in.

Lanson would not hit me first, I could already tell. A male like him would wait for me, would give me the illusion of power.

Fine by me.

I moved slowly enough for him to block me, aiming a punch toward his gut. He defended my fist easily.

“Not bad,” he cooed. “Go again.”

Males. Always too cocky for their own good. It was always their greatest flaw: thinking I was weaker than them.

So I tried again, letting him catch my wrist this time and pull me forward, causing me to stumble into his chest.

I met his eyes, reminding myself to hide my anger. “I’m a little rusty, I guess,” I mumbled.

He stole a glance at my mouth. “Don’t worry,” he whispered back. “We have all day to get you warmed up.”

And he wasn’t wrong. For the rest of the morning, I pretended like I couldn’t land a punch. I restrained myself from tackling him to the ground, from pulling Venom on his throat each time I pretended as if he had really overpowered me.

After a while, though, I got used to it. We fell into a familiar rhythm, one that made me feel as if we were dancing together under the morning sun. Hells, I even found myself smiling and laughing for a bit.

I didn’t even think about Wolf all morning, not until midday, at least.

Lanson had just tackled me to the ground, where he braced himself above me. I easily could have wrapped my legs around his waist and flipped us over, but I let him believe in his victory.

“You’re getting better already,” he whispered, his breath tickling my sweaty skin.

“Really?” I asked. “Is that why you’re on top of me right now?”

He smiled but didn’t budge. “I’m glad we’re partners. This is going to be fun.”

The intensity of his light green eyes made me shiver beneath him. He wasn’t trying to hide his admiration in the slightest.

“Time for matches!” Commander Macanthos shouted, breaking the tension between Lanson and I. If that’s what you would even call it. “Everyone, circle around. We’ll be assigning random fighting matches every afternoon after we train together. There is no better teacher of combat than combat itself. You’ll fight until one of you gives up.”

Gives up?Hells.I half-expected the massive, terrifying commander to sayfight until death.

Lanson climbed off me and hoisted me up after him. I glanced away from his soft gaze and walked to the center of the courtyard.

It’s not that Lanson wasn’t attractive. He was—anyone could see that. But I wasn’t the least bit interested in someone like him, especially here. Sure, he could be an ally. But it would never be anything more than that.

He would only be a distraction.

And distractions would get me killed.

“Alright,” the mentor announced, looking around the semicircle. “You.” He pointed to one of the two large, arrogant fae that Ialreadyhated. “And…”

The hair on the back of my neck stood up.